Hydraulic machine



y 1942- H. GRANER 2,289,420

HYDRAULIC MACHINE Filed Feb. 3 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm m W M m w, 9 m N I 0 H v fl. r s

July 14, 1942. GRANER 2,289,420

HYDRAULIC MACHINE Filed Feb. 3, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mnmnev.

HYDRAULIC MACHINE Filed Feb. 3, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.8.

ouqeu-rok unflseikknek R1119 m4 av Patentecl July 14, 1942 HYDRAULIC MACHINE Hans Graner, Munich,

American Voith Conta York, N. Y.

Germany, assignor to ct Company Inc., New

Application February 3. 1939, Serial No. 254,490 In Germany February 7, 1938 8 Claims.

This invention relates to hydro-electric machines consisting of a hydraulic machine and an electrical machine, and more particularly to machines of the axial flow turbine type equipped with fixed or adjustable guide vanes and having adjustable runner blades whereby the rubber of said hydraulic machine is arranged in a circumferentially disposed opening of the penstock carrying the fluid acted upon by the runner or driving the runner, said runner thereby forming a portion of said penstock.

This invention consists of a turbine runner'rim exteriorly of the penstock carrying inwardly extending, adjustable blades or vanes which may or may not engage a hub substantially centrally disposed in the said penstock, said blades being supported by the runner rim and adjusted by means arranged outside of said penstock.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawings, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

The invention shall be described in the following by means of the drawings. For simplicitys sake only tube turbines will be dealt with since the deliberations can be likewise applied to tube pumps and tube propellers; the tube turbines are such where the runner rim of the turbine is at the same time the rotor of an electric generator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a, cross section of a part of a hydraulic machine consisting of a tube, a rim, and vanes, and embodying this invention, it showing the manner in which the vanes may be shifted in position by means exterior to the tube;

Fig. 2 is a similar View but showing a diiferent mechanism for the shifting of the vanes;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a vane supported at its outer end and engaging freely a center or floating hub;

Fig. 4 is a similar detail view;

Fig. 5 is a cross section showing a hub body shown in the tube center which is supported rotatably by acasing in the tube center;

Fig. 6 is a detail View of the outer end of a blade or vane and its support showing a vane connection;

Fig. '7 is a detail View of the shifting rod of the vane showing a special means of shifting said rod;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a. vane, the rim supporting it, and with hydraulic and electric mechanism for shifting the vane; and

Fig. 9 shows an alternative form of the mechanism used in Figure 8.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views. Referring particularly to Figure 1, a hydraulic machine is shown with vanes projecting into the penstock I of the generator turbine which is connected to pressure tube 2 and draft tube 3. The middle part of the pressure tube is held by an upper spider 4 and a lower spider 5 both connected with the stator 6 of the generator and the base I which is anchored in the foundation. The runner rim 8 supports the vanes 9 by their rotatable stems, l0, while the generator poles II are disposed on the periphery of the runner rim. Part I2 i the combined longitudinal and sectional bearing for the runner rim, the stationary part of which is connected with the upper spider. Parts l3 and I 4 are sealing rings and packing rings respectively. A vane shifting ring l5, which is here shown as a circular rack, is supported on the runner rim, and 6 has links I6 which are connected to the independent stems H) of the vanes 9 to vary the pitch of said vanes when the shifting ring is moved about its axis. The shifting ring l5 engages gear i511. of the ring adjusting motor IT. Slip rings l8 are contacts fastened to the runner rim, and rotate with said runner rim to provide movable contacts for exciter current and motor and/or impulse control for proper operation of the device.

Fig. 2 shows the vanes 9 and stems I0 drilled hollow and connecting ties l9 passing through, which connect the runner rim with the streamlined hub body 20 arranged in the center of the tube. The connecting ties are screwed into the hub bodies and fastened by nuts 2| to the outside runner rim. The hub body 20, connecting ties IQ and nuts 2| form a wheel center with which the runner rim is braced; the effect of the centrifugal forces acting upon the hub body 20 and upon the vanes 9 are independent of each other. Besides these connecting ties the hub bodies prevent vibrations of the inside vane ends.

In special cases it might be suitable to arrange axial guiding faces 22 for the hub bodies as shown in Fig. 3. This serves to prevent the formation of eddies in the tube center if this is not already attained by the streamlined hub body.

The installation of a hub with connecting ties passing through the vanes has the disadvantage that the vanes must be much stronger so that the connecting ties can be passed through them. It might be preferable, therefore, to make the spokes not so long that they will pass through the vanes and their stems to the periphery of the runner rim but to provide only short spokestumps 23 connected with the vane ends. The vanes may also be provided with a short shaft 24 which is supported in suitable bores in the hub body in a turnable way. The former design is shown in Fig. 3, the latter in Fig. 4. Fig, 4 shows further a flange 25 mounted on the short shaft 24 to create a rigid connection between hub body and vane. Besides, this way the inner Vane bolts in the hub disc which is only held by the vanes are better supported. To lubricate those parts of the surfaces of the vanes 9 which move one into the other, the turnable stems and the vanes have narrow channels 26 through which the lubricating oil can pass.

The turnable stems ID of the vanes are likewise provided with flanges 21 as shown in Fig. 4 similar to the flange on the inner shaft 24. In this way the vanes with their turnable stems on both ends and the flanges can be used as struttings or braces of the runner rim.

In Fig. the hub body 2.0 shown in .the tube center is not held by the vanes .arranged in the runner rim but is supported in .a turnable way by .a casing in the tube center in front of the runner rim which in turn is supported by guide plates .29 in the enlarged tube wall. For this purpose the 'hub body is upwardly extended to shaft 9| which runs in suitable bearings of casing 28. In Fig. 5 the runner rim of the .tube, as

in Figs. 1 and 2, is not at all supported outside, a

but is suspended from the hub body 29 by the vanes and through the hub and its shaft 3| supported by casing 28 and ribs 29. It goes without saying that the runner rim could also be supported outside similarly as .shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Casing .28 is of streamlined shape and permits a conical admission of the runner vanes as it is particularly suited for certain conditions, mentioned above.

Between the guide vanes or supporting surfaces 29 and the runner vanes 9 there are provided adjustable guide vanes .33.

The case, already mentioned above, where the runner vanes have no connection with .each other in the tube center and that no hub body connects them, is shown in Fig. .1. In this case the vanes 9 can be supported with ball ends in runner rim 8 as shown in Fig. 6. The .ends of the vane stems of .34 are ball shaped and supported in a suit- 0 able hollow recess of the runner rim. This ballshaped stem 34 is extended by a cylindrical vane stem 35 which is connected with the adjusting device,

The adjustment of the runner vanes by means of a shifting ring and a differential gear is shown in Fig. 2. Runner rim 8 is provided with a toothed rim 35 over which bevel wheel 31 with shaft 38 in the machine frame I is driven whereas toothed rim 39, mounted on shifting ring l5 drives bevel wheel 49 in which the two bevel wheels 4! and 42 of the differential .gear rotate.

, Of the two bevel wheels of the differential gear,

one, namely bevel wheel 43 is mounted on shaft 38, and the other, namely 44, on its own shaft 45.

When the transmission ratios are correctly chosen, i. e. when with the four bevel wheels 4|, 42, 43 and 44, all of the same diameter, bevel wheel 31 rotates with twice the speed of bevel wheel 40, shaft 45 does not rotate. Shaft 45 can be displaced by means of lever 45, either by hand or by a suitable control device, thereby obtaining a relative adjustment of shifting ring 15.

An additional possibility to adjust the vanes is shown in Fig. 7. Runner rim 8 also carries a toothed rim 41 and the shifting ring I5 on the runner a toothed rim 48. Shifting ring [5 has an additional toothed rim 49 into which mesh the bevel wheels 50 keyed on to vane stems I0 so that the vanes will be turned when the shifting ring is turned. On toothed rim 4! runs toothed wheel 5| which is keyed on to shaft 53, supported by 52. This shaft is provided with spiral shaped keys or with wide threaded screw threads 54. Toothed wheel which meshes with 48 of set collar l5 has suitable female threads and therefore, can be moved both ways on shaft 53. Since toothed rim 48 of the shifting ring and toothedrim 41 of the runner rim 8 have the same diameter and turn with the same angle speed, the two toothed wheels 5| and 55, the diameters of which are also alike, run with equal speed on the toothed rims without displacing toothed wheel 55 on shaft 53. A displacement of toothed wheel 55 upward or downward by means of fork 56 effects an adjustment of shifting ring I5 in relation to the runner rim either by hand or by some type of control device.

Instead of adjusting motor 11, shown in Fig. 1 as an electromotor acting directly upon the shifting ring by means of a pinion, there can also be used, as stated above, a combination of an electrical and a hydraulic adjusting motor. Such a design is shown in Fig. 8. The electromotor supplied with current from outside over slip rings is again designated with M. It opcrates a pump 51 which delivers pressure fluid out of tank 58 into pressure tank 59. From the latter tank the pressure fluid is delivered over control valve 60 to hydraulic servomotor Bl. Angle lever 64 supported on runner rim 8 is connected with piston rod 62 of servomotor piston 63; the other arm of angle lever 64 is connected with the shifting ring l5 over a connecting rod 65. Centrifugal masses 66 which mesh with control 61 serve to control valve 60. For restoring the control valve the control rod is connected through rod 68 with the servomotor piston. Centrifugal masses 66 are pressed by the centrifugal force more or less toward outside, therefore, in dependence .of the speed against the force of spring 59.

The adjustment device for the runner vanes can also be operated by the speed adjustment device in such .a way that the load of spring 69 of centrifugal masses 66 is influenced by a speed adjustment motor.

The speed adjustment motor is designated in Fig. 8 as 19, and is supplied with current from a suitable outside source through sliprings 48. The speed adjustment motor drives a small pinoin "H which when turned adjusts spring crossarm 13, arranged on spindle l2, and thereby loads spring 69 more or less. The motor 10 serves to adjust or change the speed of the hydraulic machine through the governing means consisting of parts 50 to 69 and II to 13. When in action it always runs at a constant number of revolutions and therefore .does not require speed control.

Control valve 69 could also be influenced in a similar way by electro-magnetic operation in such a way that an electro-magnet l4 supplied with current through sliprings attracts more or less anchor body (5, connected with the control rods, against the force of spring 76 as shownin Fig. 9.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations, modifications and adaptations as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1*. In a hydraulic machine having a stationary penstock tube for the passage of fluid from which power is derived, the combination of a plurality of blades disposed within the penstock and radially arranged in respect thereto, said penstock having a circumferentially disposed opening, blade stems on said blades extending from the blades at the interior of the penstock to the exterior thereof and through said circumferentially disposed opening, a rotatable runner rim for the blade stems extending circumferentially around said penstock and enclosing said opening, and acting to transmit power derived from the blades acted upon by said fluid, and means engaging said blade stems exterior of said penstock for shifting the blade stems around their axes.

2. In a hydraulic machine having a stationary penstock tube for the passage of fluid from which power is derived, the combination of a plurality of blades disposed within the penstock, said penstock having a circumferentially disposed opening, blade stems on said blades extending from the blades at the interior of the penstock to the exterior thereof and through said circumferentially disposed opening, a rotatable runner rim for the blade stems extending circumferentially around said penstock exterior thereto and enclosing said opening, and acting to transmit power derived from the blades acted upon by said fluid, and means engaging said blade stems exterior of said penstock for shifting the blade stems around their axes, said blades extending radially inwards from the penstock to the axis thereof, and running free of rigid connection with each other at their inner ends.

3. In a hydraulic machine having a stationary penstock tube for the passage of fluid from which power is derived, the combination of a plurality of radially arranged blades disposed within the penstock, said penstock having a circumferentially disposed opening, blade stemson said blades extending from the blades at the interior of the penstock to the exterior thereof and through said circumferentially disposed opening, a rotatable runner rim for the blade stems extending circumferentially around said penstock exterior thereto and enclosing said opening, said runner rim acting as a power transmitting element, means exterior of said penstock for shifting the blade stems around their axes, said blades extending radially inwards from the penstock to the axis thereof and running free of rigid connection with each other at their inner ends, and a hub for the inner ends of the blades supported only by theinner ends of the blades.

4. In a hydraulic machine having a stationary penstock tube for the passage of fluid from which power is derived, the combination of a plurality of blades disposed within the penstock and radially arranged in respect thereto, said penstock having a circumferentially disposed opening, blade stems on said blades extending from the blades at the interior of the penstock to the exterior thereof and through said circumferentially disposed opening, a rotatable runner rim for the blade stems extending circumferentially around said penstock and enclosing said opening, and acting to transmit power derived from the blades acted upon by said fluid, means engaging said blade stems exterior of said penstock for shifting the blade stems around their axes, said means including a shiftable ring adjacent said runner rim, and revolvable therewith, link means connecting each of said shiftable blade stems to said shiftable ring, motor means geared to the shiftable ring, and electro-magnetic control means to operate said motor means for changing the positions of the shiftable ring to vary the pitch of the blades.

5. In a hydraulic machine having a stationary penstock tube for the passage of fluid from which power is derived, the combination of a plurality of blades disposed within the penstock and radially arranged in respect thereto, said penstock having a circumferentially disposed opening, blade stems on said blades extending from the blades at the interior of the penstock to the exterior thereof and through said circumferentially disposed opening, a rotatable runner rim for the blade stems extending circumferentially around said penstock and enclosing said opening, and acting to transmit power derived from the blades acted upon by said fluid, means engaging said blade stems exterior of said penstock for shifting the blade stems around their axes, said means including a shiftable ring adjacent said runner rim and revolvable therewith, link means connecting each of said shiftable blade stems to said shiftable ring, motor means geared to the shiftable ring, and electric control means to operate said motor means for changing the positions of the shiftable ring to vary the pitch of the blades.

6. In a hydraulic machine having a stationary penstock tube for thepassage of fluid from which power is derived, the combination of a plurality of blades disposed within the penstock and radially arranged in respect thereto, said penstock having a circumferentially disposed opening, blade stems on said blades extending from the blades at the interior of the penstock to the exterior thereof and through said circumferentially disposed opening, a rotatable runner rim for the blade stems extending circumferentially around said penstock and enclosing said opening, and acting to transmit power derived from the blades acted upon by said fluid, means engaging said blade stems exterior of said penstock for shifting the blade stems around their axes, said means including a shiftable ring adjacent said runner rim, and revolvable therewith, link means connecting each of said shiftable blade stems to said shiftable ring, motor means geared to the shiftable ring, and electric control means to operate said motor means for changing the positions of the shiftable ring to vary the pitch of the blades, and automatic speed measuring means to regulated the motor for adjusting the blades controlling the shiftable ring.

7. In a hydraulic machine having a stationary penstock tube for the passage of fluid from which power is derived, the combination of a plurality of blades disposed within the penstock and radially arranged in respect thereto, said penstock having a circumferentially disposed opening, blade stems on said blades extending from the blades at the interior of the penstock to the exterior thereof and through said circumferentially disposed opening, a rotatable runner rim for the blade stems extending circumferentially around said penstock and enclosing said opening, and acting to transmit power derived from the blades acted upon by said fluid, and means engaging said blade stems exterior of said penstock for shifting the blade stems around their axes, said means including a servometer.

8. In a vhydraulic machine having a stationary penstock to permit the passage of a fluid, a central member Within said penstock vfcrrrnirrg :9, converging annular passage with the penstoek, said passage having a circumferential opening, blades extending into and across said annular passage of the penstock, blade stems extending from the blades Within the passage through the opening to the exterior of the penstock, and means exterior of the penstock for engaging the blade stems for adjusting the blades, said runner rim acting to transmit power derived from the blades.

HANS GRANER. 

